New mums will no longer be pressured by midwives into breastfeeding their babies or made to feel guilty if they bottle-feed.

Updated guidance from the Royal College of Midwives, released on Tuesday, stresses that bottle-feeding is a "woman's right" and should be respected.

The new policy recommends that balanced and relevant information be given to parents choosing to formula feed their babies, whether exclusively or partially, to enable them to do so safely and with support to encourage good bonding.

“If, after being given appropriate information, advice and support on breastfeeding, a woman chooses not to do so, or to give formula as well as breastfeeding, her choice must be respected,” the policy says.

A mum breastfeeds her baby

The organisation says the move acknowledges the fact that many women cannot breastfeed, or do not want to.

RCM’s Chief Executive Gill Walton said: “Evidence clearly shows that breastfeeding in line with WHO guidance brings optimum benefits for the health of both mother and baby.

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“However the reality is that often some women for a variety of reasons struggle to start or sustain breastfeeding.

“The RCM believes that women should be at the centre of their own care and as with other areas of maternity care midwives and maternity support workers should promote informed choice.

"If, after being given appropriate information, advice and support on breastfeeding, a woman chooses not to do so, or to give formula as well as breastfeeding, her choice must be respected.

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“We recognise that some women cannot or do not wish to breastfeed and rely on formula milk.

"They must be given all the advice and support they need on safe preparation of bottles and responsive feeding to develop a close and loving bond with their baby.

“For women who choose to breastfeed it is so important that they feel supported not only by midwives, but by their family and friends too.

A mum bottle-feeds her newborn

"Women should not feel guilty or embarrassed about breastfeeding in public and as a society we must continue to develop a culture of positive support for women who wish to breastfeed and educating the public is key to this.

“There must be more investment in postnatal care services and specialist midwives to enable each woman to get the support and advice she needs to make informed choices about feeding her baby.

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“We know that every woman wants the best for her baby and we want to be able to empower our members to support women to be the best they can be and enable them to make decisions that are right for themselves and their babies.”

A mum feeds her son

The guidance still says babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, but the RCM has acknowledged that some women will struggle.

Research has found breastfeeding can have long-term health advantages, with children less likely to develop diabetes or become obese later in life.

However, the UK has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world.